The Space Between You and I
by Shihori
Summary: An unexpected turn of events allows Sesshoumaru to go forward in time and meet Akiko once again. Sequel to Haven. SessxOC.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. This Fic was written long long time ago, before the manga finished therefore it does not follow the original events to a T. I'm just uploading it cause it is completed and it seems like a waste to let it sit on my drive forever. I'm slowly cleaning it up spelling and structure wise and using bits of info from the original story now that I know what happens in the end. Hopefully this will tie up the story better. Thanks for reading.

The Space Between You and I,

By Shihori

Chapter One

"Bakuryuuha!" There was a thunder like sound and a new clear spot among the trees right after that yell.

Inuyasha grinned waiting for the dirt cloud to dissipate. He grunted in disappointment and anger as the cloud became less dense, bringing his target into view. "Bastard!" He growled.

He didn't seem quite the same as the last time he had marked him as his prey, the male of the enemy pair thought while carefully watching the dog youkai carefully. The color of his hair and eyes were the same but he seemed older and there were markings on his cheeks and hands, characteristic of a full dog demon.

"I told you Inuyasha, you can't defeat him that easily." The demon lord, Sesshoumaru, said with his usual even tone, holding the Bakusaiga. He looked slightly older than before but then it has been over _ years when he had first decided he would be suitable as well for his plans.

Inuyasha glared at his brother. "If you're not going to tell me how to defeat that bastard then fuck off and stop annoying me." From the corner of his eye he could still see Sesshoumaru's enemy standing. "Besides you're not one to talk. Your prey is still alive."

Sesshoumaru smirked, stepping away. "I have no hurry."

Suddenly, the two enemies flew together at great speed to team up. They sent an energy blast each which combined on its path towards the two inuyoukai. The dog demons thought, being their confident selves, that they could deflect them with their father's fangs. They couldn't have been more mistaken.

The purplish ball of energy caught them, dragging them with it against the thick trunk of a tree. It wasn't a regular tree though. It was the sacred tree where once Inuyashsa had been pinned down to for 50 years. The tree shook with the impact but suffered no harm just like the two youkais.

Sesshoumaru bared his fangs outraged for being hit by what he considered lesser youkais. "I will kill you." He declared getting on his feet. Inuyasha cleared his head as he shook it. Glaring at his enemies he rose to his feet as well.

The two youkai seemed to be twins, one female and the other male. Their hair was long, dark blue, and their eyes were purple, without white. The female wore a red kimono with an oval, big neck which left her shoulder's pale skin on view. On both shoulders she had black, claw-like markings, -two on each side. An iridescent triangular shaped, gem embedded to her cleavage, just above her breasts. The male's robes were blue and yellow with adark green chest armor over it. Unlike his sister, he had black markings on his cheeks. Two slightly curved swords, similar to a sickle, rested at each side of his waist.

"You better give up." The man's voice was smooth and his grin a confidant one. "Two filthy dogs like you can't defeat us."

"Feh! I've only been playing around!" Inuyasha grinned, bearing his fangs. He brought the Tetsusaiga forward once again. "You better be prepared to die."

The effeminate looking youkai spread his lips in a mocking grin. "If I were you, mongrel, I'd say good-bye to this life." He looked at his sister. "Yaune, would you do the honors?"

Yaune nodded, and brought her hand in front of the gem, forming a diamond like shape with them. Her lips began moving as she closed her eyes, -her voice almost inaudible. "Become what you hate most…what you fear the most. I bind your inheritance, your blood."

"What?" Inuyasha shouted and turned to look at Sesshoumaru. "What are those fools doing? Can you hear anything?"

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, staring at the female youkai, his left eyebrow arched. His ears twitching slightly. "It's a curse." He finally informed his younger brother.

Inuyasha gave him an incredulous stare. "A curse?" He smirked. "Nonsense!" He sprinted off the sacred tree's roots towards his target, but a shield created around the tree blocked his path. Once he touched the barrier lighting surrounded him, making him shriek, and then he was sent back again forcefully against the tree.

Sesshoumaru gave a bored sigh staring down at his scorched brother, and shook his head in disapproval. "There was no use on you becoming a full youkai if you're brains are the size of a nut."

Inuyasha sprung to his feet from between the roots where he had landed, and groused at him. "You keep criticizing me but you do nothing but stand there in your stupid lord-like pose!"

The older youkai glowered at the annoying brother he had to deal with. "If you could stop being so rash and analyze your situation before storming to attack your enemy, you would have felt them draining energy from the youkai tree, idiot."

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked up to the huge tree, squinting his eyes at the rays of light coming through its branches. Then he felt it, -a deep, eerie strength emanating from it and forming the barrier around itself, but he could also feel the enemies' youki in it.

"Bid good-bye to the life you once knew, scoundrels." The male youkai snickered, and extended his right arm, gathering some of his energy into a ball, and sent it off towards them.

The energy blast collided and mixed with the barrier, and the ground within the barrier began to shake. Inuyasha leaned on the trunk looking around, not knowing what was happening, while Sesshoumaru kept his balance standing over a risen root and stared at the trunk. 'This can't be good.' Both thought in unison.

"Step away from the tree Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru ordered as he leaped back, but it was too late for both of them.

A void formed in front of the tree trunk glowing with a blue, semi-transparent light, sucking all that was inside the barrier. Sesshoumaru unsheathed the Bakusaiga and plunged it into the ground to hold on, while Inuyasha did the same with the Tetsusaiga but on one of the tree's roots. As a reaction to the pain inflicted on it, the tree's sucking force became stronger. Not being able to hold on for longer, both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were wrapped in the powerful winds coming from the void as it sucked them in. Once its preys were absorbed, the void closed.

The male youkai turned to his sister, looking into the gem. "You got them?" Yaune didn't answer but she waved her right hand over the gem which turned the color of blood and it seemed as if it flowed inside it. He just grinned maliciously watching it turn back to green. "Well done." He ran his fingers through her hair and she just stared at him blankly. "Well done."

* * *

The skies were tinted in soft blue, purple, and orange shades as nightfall became closer. Kagome climbed the stone stairs that leaded to the Higurashi-jija where her home rested. She had trimmed her hair which bounced on her shoulders with each step, and her face and body had developed, giving her a more mature appearance. She dressed the same white and green school uniform, but today had been the last day. In her hand she carried a decorated paper bag with small presents and a rolled paper, -her diploma. It had been two years since her quest for the Shikon no kakera had finished. Naraku had been defeated and Inuyasha had taken his decision, which she didn't totally agree with but accepted it nevertheless. Then she had returned to her time, to recover her life, and had never been able to go back through the Bone eater's well again.

She noticed her family, -Mama, Souta, and Grandpa, were gathered around something in front of the Goshinboku, the sacred tree where once Inuyasha was sealed. Walking towards them, she smiled brightly knowing she'd be congratulated the moment they saw her. "I'm back everyone!" She announced with great joy in her voice.

They all turned to her and her mother was the first one to congratulate her. "My baby! She has finally graduated from high school!" She hugged her tightly and kissed her head. "I'm so proud of you Kagome!"

"Than you mama!" Kagome's smile couldn't be brighter at that moment, but the minute her eyes set on what they had been staring at, her smile grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared. "Inuyasha…"

"Told you it was Inuyasha no oniichan!" Souta exclaimed looking at his grandfather.

"But he didn't use to have those markings on his face." Grandpa muttered, keeping his hands behind his back.

Kagome dropped her bag, and rushed to his side. "Inuyasha…" She muttered softly, patting his cheek. "Inuyasha!"

"There is another one too." Souta informed her as he pointed farther from where they were standing at.

Kagome couldn't see his face, but she'd recognize those robes anywhere. "Sesshoumaru." She looked down at Inuyasha. "Souta, hurry, bring some water."

Souta obeyed and ran to get what he was asked for. Soon he was back with a bucket. Kagome stepped away and Souta poured the water on Inuyasha's face from a safe distance.

"Argh!" Inuyasha shrieked, jerking up and immediately into battle stance. "What the hell!" He then saw her, his face muscles relaxing but his eyes wide open in surprise. "Ka-Kagome?"

Kagome didn't know if to cry or laugh, -to feel happy or sad for seeing him again. It had taken her long to live with the idea that she wouldn't see him again, much less be with him. And now he was here, standing in front of her , a full youkai but possessing the same immature aura about him. "Inuyasha!" She exclaimed, tears gathering in her eyes as she ran to him and hugged him. "This must be a dream!" She whispered at his ear.

Inuyasha seemed as bewildered as her, but still returned the warm hug. "It has been too long Kagome." He muttered, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Ahem!" Mama feigned to clear her throat, startling them. They let go of each other with a light shade of red on their cheeks.

"How did you get here Inuyasha?" Kagome asked looking very excited but confused at the same time. "Akiko sealed the well after I returned. How did you break through it?"

"I didn't. I was-" He began, but then he was cut off by his sibling.

"So this is your woman's time." Sesshoumaru muttered, some interest hinted on his tone. He then glared at Inuyasha. "Couldn't you have been more stupid?"

"What the heck are you talking about?" Inuyasha growled, glaring at the cool looking inuyoukai. "You're the one who didn't finish off that bitch!"

Sesshoumaru stared directly into Inuyasha's eyes, not looking angry at all anymore. "What do you do when someone hurts you? Like plunging a sword into your ribs?"

"I kill the bastard." Inuyasha grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. "But that hasn't happened in long time."

Sesshoumaru smirked, "Your ego is bigger than your stupidity." That earned him another glare and grunt. "Didn't you hear when I said that the tree was a youkai?"

Inuyasha thought about it for a while and then nodded. "Yeah. So what?"

Sesshoumaru would have killed the dog and put him out of his misery if he hadn't grown used to density of Inuyasha's mind. "So you hurt a powerful tree youkai provoking its anger, which helped out those bastards plans!" He growled the last three words, and then recovered his cool stance. "In other words, you got us here with the help of your lack of common sense."

"That's enough!" Inuyasha snarled at him, bringing the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath but it remained in its rusted form.

Kagome had run in between them, hoping to stop them from fighting there, but she was totally taken by surprise when the Tetsusaiga didn't transform. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Inuyasha frowned, looking closer at the Tetsusaiga. "This hadn't happened before."

"Become what you hate most…what you fear the most. I bind your inheritance, your blood." Sesshoumaru looked down at his hand frowning. 'That bitch…'

* * *

Dante reached the top of the stone stairs and made faces at the baby in her arms who giggled amused at the little flying trip. "Want do it again?" She asked grinning at the baby, boy who clapped with his little hands and laughed. "Down we go then!" She floated back down and met Akiko who carried the baby's bag. "Look at mommy!"

Akiko smiled at them and watched them reach the end of the stairs, then come back "Dante, take Kenmaru inside. He'll catch a cold, and you'll kill anyone of a heart attack if you're seen."

"Yes ma'am!" Dante chirped as she floated away from the stairs. "Your mommy doesn't know what real fun is!" She chuckled at the baby's wide and bright eyes. "You're so cute!" She hugged him tighter and nuzzled his cheek making him giggle even more.

Akiko took her time climbing the stairs. She was taking extra care of the dress she was wearing. There were moments where she wished to switch places with the youkai spirit and float merrily around. Tonight she had been very careful with her appearance. After many months of dieting and exercising to lose the weight she had put during pregnancy, she had recovered her slim figure.

Tonight she had donned a dress designed by her, a two piece dress composed by a long, shiny black skirt with a slit all the way up which ended only 10 fingers before her hip and a dark forest-green colored silk, bodice with a light stripe – dark stripe pattern. A black pearl choker circled her thin neck, and on her ears were matching, three pearl earrings. Over her outfit she wore a coat due to the cold weather. It wasn't her most creative design, but she had a special sentiment over it since it was one of her first designs. Her long tresses were styled in a crown of loops, with several locks curled up and dangling down. Her make up was natural except for her lips which were a dark shade of red, allowing her eyes and lips to stand out on her creamy, porcelain like face. She felt like a queen and tonight she had dressed to kill and wished to attract everyone's eyes on her. She was a very spoiled young woman, conscious of her beauty and always wanting to exploit it one way or another. If she didn't like designing so much, she would have tried modeling.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the night air, feeling that tonight would be her lucky night. Tonight she was going to the banquet held for the closing of the Asia-Pacific Fashion week, and she was part of the honor guests, together with Zan. At the age of 24 she was at her career's peak in Asia and there was still a long path to walk. The next territory to conquer: Paris.

Akiko had so many things in her mind as she walked, and all of them were making her smile brightly. She had a son, a family that supported her, Dante who was like a friend and a sort of mother to her, and Zan, her friend and business partner. The young designer, - a miko as occasional profession, couldn't ask for more of life, at the moment.

She came to a halt, suddenly feeling her senses overwhelmed with negative waves. Her eyes searched for the source as well as her spirit, and they set over the Goshinboku. A frown settled over her features as she couldn't understand the disturbance on the sacred tree's aura. She shook it out of her mind and continued walking not having time to deal with that now. Tonight was her night and nothing would keep her from being a queen for a night.

Stepping out of green stilettos, she slipped into her white house slippers and slipped out of the coat which she hung on the rack close to the entrance. She frowned, caressing the small of her back. –_Why is it itching? Never has._ "Why is everything so silent in here?" She asked as she walked towards the living room's entrance.

"Akiko!" Kagome stepped out of the living room, smiling nervously, sliding the door closed behind her. "You-you look like a movie star!"

Akiko smiled at her and turned around showing out her dress to her sister. "You like it? It's the first design I did and threw away, with a few changes of course."

Kagome nodded, sweat on her brow. "It is lovely."

Akiko smiled brightly, straightening the skirt a little with her hands. "So where are Dante and my son?" She stepped towards the living room but Kagome raised her hands in front of her and blocked her way. "What is it Kagome?" Akiko looked at her curiously, sensing some disturbance on her aura. "You're nervous. Did Dante do something?"

"Sit down damn it!" Dante yelled from inside. "Can't you be considerate for once in your life?"

"Dante, what is going on?" Akiko asked, raising her voice a little and tried to go in again but Kagome pushed her back gently. The older woman looked hard at her. "Let me go in Kagome."

Kagome stammered nervously looking back and forth between the door and Akiko. "I'm sorry Akiko. I-"

Before Kagome could say any more the door slid open. Akiko's eyes grew wide and instinctively stepped back. A wide mix of emotions surged and nestled in her chest. She wished that in cases like this there was a rewind button attached to her. This had to be a bad dream.

* * *

"Floating through the door!" Dante announced as she went through the closed, living room door. The baby shrieked with excitement, never getting tired of that. Her eyes were set on the baby's happy face still as she said. "Say good evening family! Your little prince is here!"

"Give him to me!" Souta hurried to her extending his arms to grab the baby. Dante didn't hesitate and handed him over. "Come play with uncle Souta!" He exclaimed as he carried the baby out of the living room.

Dante looked after them as they walked up the stairs. "Isn't he the cutest thing ever!" She exclaimed as she turned around, but her smile vanished the minute she saw a certain youkai who she happened to loath, standing at the door that lead to the patio with wide eyes staring the way Souta had left with the child. "Sesshoumaru…" She whispered, thinking that if she had a heart she would have had a heart attack by now. "What-why-how?"

"Answer me Umade..." Sesshoumaru's eyes set on her with a serious stare. "That is my-"

"Of course!" Dante roared at him with a angry look. "Do you forget Akiko is human? Tonight is new moon, so he is in human form."

"He's grown quite a bit. Last I saw him he looked like a prune." Inuyasha commented, sitting at a corner of the room behind Grandpa, playing with the fat cat.

"You too?" Dante blinked, looking confused. "The well was sealed. There is no way anyone from there could come here."

"We didn't come through the well." Inuyasha's brows knitted together. "Some bastards sent us through the Goshinboku."

Dante didn't understand what he was saying since she had no idea that was possible. "Whatever." She turned to face Sesshoumaru but the youkai was already heading for the door so she blocked his path. "Where do you think you're going?"

"That is none of your business." Sesshoumaru gave her a hard stare. He wanted to go after the boy who had taken his son away. The son he had never got to meet but hadn't stopped thinking of at all.

"It is my business cause-" Dante shut her mouth the moment she heard the front door open, and slid the living room's closed. Then she whispered. "She'll be furious if you ruin this important night for her and even more if you touch her son!" She saw Kagome run behind her and leave the room. –_This can't be happening! What are we going to do when Zan arrives?_

_

* * *

_

Akiko's eyes widened even more, realizing that Dante had reached the house first with her son. "Dante where is he?" She called out looking at the door.

Dante peered out, looking exactly as she did except for the eyes. "Upstairs with Souta."

Sesshoumaru turned around, ignoring them and headed towards the stairs. Akiko hurried past him and stood in front of him blocking the stairs to him. "You're not going anywhere near him." She felt as if her stomach had just transformed into a void, hurting like hell.

"He's my son!" He roared looking straight into her green pools. "Stand aside."

Akiko frowned, not feeling any pain like the last time they had seen each other. _–He isn't upset because of the looks of Kenmaru?_ She had never worried about her son being rejected by his father because she thought they'd never meet. Kenmaru was a hanyou although he didn't have dog ears on his head like Inuyasha but normal ears. "You're going to explain to me first why and how you got here." She gave him a stern look. "You may have done your half of the job on making him, but that doesn't entitle you as his father. I gave birth to him so I say who touches my child or not." She practically snarled at him, but in her mind she couldn't understand why she was acting so protectively of Kenmaru. Deep down in her heart a fear had been borne. –_Will he kill him now? Will he kill us now to make up for his mistake from last time?_

Sesshoumaru's eyes turned into small, thin slits as he glared at her, truly angry now. She was spoiling this moment for him. Until a few minutes ago he had felt like a fish out of water among Inuyasha's woman and her family, but he had tolerated it knowing that soon he'd see her and their son. That thought was all that kept him from leaving that house and chattering, annoying humans and his idiot brother.

Akiko felt pain creep all over her body like when someone becomes electrocuted for a moment when putting a finger in a outlet, but she held strongly to the stair's arms, keeping her firm stance. –_He's pissed off now, but there's not a chance in hell I'm letting him near my baby. Not until I'm sure he won't harm him. _She inhaled deeply, bracing herself for the rest of this nightmare.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter 2 coming up soon. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. This Fic was written long long time ago, before the manga finished therefore it does not follow the original events to a T. I'm just uploading it because it is completed and it seems like a waste to let it sit on my drive forever. I'm slowly cleaning it up spelling and structure wise and using bits of info from the original story now that I know what happens in the end. Hopefully this will tie up the story better. Thanks for reading.

* * *

The Space Between You and I,

By Shihori

Chapter 2

* * *

Sesshoumaru knew how stubborn Akiko could get to be, and he wasn't in the mood to fight her now. He was angry at her attitude, but there wasn't much he could do for now. His pup was a hannyou and he had always rejected those. –_She is thinking I'll harm our pup_. From the moment he had arrived to this time, he could feel his bond to her coming back to life, like ashes that burn once again. He could feel more than see or smell her fear. "There isn't much I can explain." He finally said, trying to calm down, knowing that his anger had to be attacking her physically. He still remembered the last time this had happened, and it was something he didn't want to repeat.

"You'll try." Akiko said evenly, and nodded towards the door. "Go to the living room."

Sesshoumaru gave her a nasty stare at her command. How dared she order him around? He could see that she was determined to keep her aggressive stance towards him, and that he'd have to kill her before getting to his pup, but that wasn't his plan. Obeying the female human for first time in his life, he turned around and walked back to the living room ignoring the surprised looks he received from Dante, Inuyasha, and Kagome.

Akiko walked in behind him, and closed the door. She noticed Inuyasha, who had stopped torturing Buyo only to give Sesshoumaru a mocking grin from where he sat close to Kagome. "Long time no see Inuyasha." She said, trying to keep her manners and not lose control over the confusing situation.

"What's with the strange clothes Akiko?" He asked, eyeing her mostly bare thigh, ignoring Sesshoumaru's dagger glare. He stopped looking at her when Kagome slapped him at the back of his head. "What was that for?" He growled and Kagome just looked away indignantly.

"I am on a way to a party." Akiko answered simply, leaning against the wall and wrapping her arms around her torso. "Which means you two will have to explain what you're doing here in record time."

"You don't seem pleased to see the father of your child Akiko." Mama commented, and then turned to look at Sesshoumaru who was standing across the room staring at Akiko. "He is so handsome! My grandson will be a heartbreaker for sure!"

Akiko ignored her mother's comment and continued to insist for an explanation. "You better start speaking. I don't have all night to engage into a battle of glares with you, _my lord_." The last two words rolled out of her mouth in a sarcastic tone.

"We were fighting two youkai who had come for the Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga. They tried to set us up to fight against each other, but when we realized we were being observed, we guessed it was a trap." Inuyasha spoke up, deciding to explain it himself. "They were the strangest kind I've ever seen." He looked at Dante. "Their eyes were white less just like Dante's. And they kept saying something about the inheritance and the blood."

"They didn't come for the fangs. Like always Inuyasha you're taking things too lightly." Sesshoumaru interrupted Inuyasha earning a growl from him, but ignored the younger youkai. "They were searching for the blood inheritance. One of them, the bitch, recited a curse while they used the youkai tree's energy to keep us trapped."

Dante floated closer to him, taking interest on his words. "How did the curse go?"

"_Become what you hate most. What you fear the most. I bind your inheritance, your blood. _That's at much as I could hear since this idiot," He glared down at Inuyasha who had taken a seat next to Kagome again. "Began buffing and growling like an animal, and wouldn't let me hear the rest."

"I wasn't going to stay still to wait and see what they were going to do with us!" Inuyasha growled defensively.

"Using the youkai tree's energy, they formed a barrier around it keeping us in and then opened a void that sucked us in." Sesshoumaru omitted the Inuyasha's fault part since it was a waste of time to make another allusion to his brother's stupidity. "Is that enough explanation for you?"

Akiko looked away still upset over the circumstances. "Of all the time spaces that exist, you had to end up in this one." She muttered angrily, glaring at some spot on the wall. "More so, it had to be tonight!"

"Akiko, calm down." Kagome smiled nervously at her as she stepped closer. "You once explained to me that you couldn't determine what time to travel to, but that it was the well that decided where and when to send you to. It must be the same with the Goshinboku, although I never thought it was possible to time travel through it as well."

Akiko sighed, rubbing her temples with her forefinger and middle finger. "Neither did I otherwise I would have sealed it as well." She felt anger rise again within her chest. "Heck! I would have had it cut down if I had had any idea that this would happen! In fact I will after I have those two sent back to where they belong!"

"Hey!" Kagome looked angrily at her, making Akiko face her by pulling her arm. "Don't you dare! That tree is part of our family! It is the reason for the shrine as well as the Bone eater's well. I don't know about you, but I'm happy this happened. Don't you dare ruin this Akiko!"

Akiko was about to reply when the door bell rang. "That's Zan." She said, "Take them outside Kagome. He said he was going to bring some gifts so he'll want to come in here."

"I'll go open the door." Mama offered, as she walked out of the living room.

"That can only mean he brought those liqueur chocolates I had been asking him for!" Grandpa cheered, oblivious to the tense air in the room.

Kagome nodded and looked pleadingly at Inuyasha who only grunted and stepped out of the room and into the patio. "Thank you." She muttered and then looked at Sesshoumaru feeling he wouldn't be that easy to convince.

"Don't make this situation more difficult Sesshoumaru-sama." Akiko looked at him, calling him the only way she allowed herself to address him. Dropping the honorifics would make her cross a line that she always knew was as high as the Great Wall of China. Her eyes softened as they set on his upset looking ones. "Please." Dante entered her body without a word, looking thoughtful.

Sesshoumaru felt sadness flow within her suddenly, and decided to comply not to make this worse for the moment. He had given her the explanation she had requested, so he knew she'd let him see his pup soon enough. It was only a matter to be patient, just like he had been all day.

Kagome closed the door to the patio just in time. Zan walked into the living room with a happy looking Mama. "Hi Zan." She greeted him nervously. "Ready for the great night?"

"You can bet on that." The tall, brunette man who could easily be an actor or a model, flashed his sexy smile at her. He looked at Akiko, and held his breath. "You look gorgeous Aki-chan." He grinned, and handed her the bouquet of red roses he held on one hand. "I'll be envied by every man in that banquet for having you with me tonight."

Akiko's cheek tinted in a light shade of red, as she grabbed the beautiful roses. "I… ah—about that Zan-"

"Zan, my son!" Grandpa exclaimed from his seat at the table. "It had been long since you visited us!"

Zan chuckled and held out a box to the old man. "But I didn't forget my promise. I hope you'll enjoy them."

"I sure will!" Grandpa grabbed the box and began taking the wrapping off. "Thank you for remembering!"

Akiko sighed and handed the flowers to her mother, asking her to put them in water and then looked back at her boy friend. "Zan, I won't go to the banquet."

Zan turned to her, his smile being replaced by a confused look on his face. "What are you saying Akiko?" He stepped closer to her. "This is our night! You have to go."

Akiko looked away, wrapping her arms around herself. "I know, but I truly can't go. There is something important I have to take care of."

Zan held her shoulders, making her look up to him. "What could be more important than tonight Akiko? You've been longing for this night. You finally decided to let go of your son for a night at least. You can't back away now. It is your night to be Akiko again and give the mom side a rest. The little rascal will be fine with your family. It's not like he is a new born that need all of your attention." He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Come on Akiko. Let's go for your coat and head to the party."

Akiko winced at the burning feeling on the mark at the small of her back. "I can't." She looked up sternly at him, taking his hands off her knowing that Sesshoumaru was the one sending her that pain at the sight of this. "I beg you to respect my decision. Please excuse me with everyone."

Zan sighed, looking disappointed at her. "I really can't understand you Akiko." He looked at the others in the room. "Everyone have a good night." He muttered, and walked out of the room.

Akiko watched her mother hurry past her after Zan. She sighed, feeling exhausted out of the sudden. "It was my turn to shine." She whispered to herself, looking depressed.

Kagome placed a hand on Akiko's shoulder. "This won't be the last opportunity you'll have Akiko. So cheer up!"

Akiko didn't feel like it, so instead she asked her to let them in, while she went upstairs for the baby. Soon she was back with Kenmaru whose head rested on her shoulder while he slept. She noticed how Sesshoumaru stiffened once he saw the baby again, and hoped she wasn't taking the wrong decision. "I'll take Sesshoumaru-sama with me to the penthouse until we find a solution to this. Kagome come with me to the door please."

Dante floated out of Akiko, grabbing the baby bag from her. "Good night everyone." She said, being the first one to leave the room.

"I'll call you tomorrow mother after I've deposited money on your account. Have Kagome buy Inuyasha normal clothes. We don't want him calling everyone's attention." Akiko looked at Sesshoumaru. "Please follow me Sesshoumaru-sama." Then she gave a quick look to her family. "Good night everyone."

"Good night! Drive safely." Mama said as they walked out of the room.

Sesshoumaru followed them out of the living room, staying several feet away from them. After Dante had taken Akiko into the well that night, he was sure he'd never see her again, much less meet his pup. For once, he was glad to have lost a battle.

Akiko looked at Kagome while she slipped into her coat and shoes, whispering "Enjoy your time with him while it lasts, because it won't be for too long." She reached out for the baby and carried him gently against her chest while Kagome covered his head with his coat's hood.

Kagome didn't know whether to take those words in a good or bad way, but still she nodded in acceptance of Akiko's decision. She knew Inuyasha didn't belong in her time, just like she didn't belong in his. "Alright, but please don't hurry on it." She looked at Sesshoumaru who seemed less scary by the moment, and smiled. "Enjoy this opportunity life has given you."

Akiko's eyes set on Sesshoumaru, whose own eyes were on the sleeping child. She felt a chill run up her spine thinking that she was probably wrong about taking him with her, but discarded that thought immediately. She couldn't leave him here under the same roof as her family and Inuyasha since they could get into fighting and harm one of her loved ones. At least in the penthouse, she could find a way to keep him from harming her child if that was his intention. "Let's go. It is getting late." She turned around, and Kagome hurried to open the door for her. She whispered a thank you and walked out, feeling Sesshoumaru right behind her.

They found Dante staring up to the Goshinboku with a worried look. Akiko called her up and asked her to leave the worries for tomorrow. Dante assented, and took the car keys from Akiko's coat pocket and hurried to the car. Meanwhile Akiko walked down the stone stairs carefully, looking at Sesshoumaru whose pace was slow to keep up with her. The fear of him hurting Kenmaru was nagging at the deepest part of her chest and she tried to calm herself down, knowing that if he wanted to kill her child, he would have done so long ago.

The ride on their way to the penthouse was the most amusing to Dante. She would have laughed out loud if Kenmaru wasn't deep asleep, but she chuckled instead every time Sesshoumaru grunted at the glowing lights from the cars driving by in the other lane or when he made low growls at the cars driving next to them. If he were to allow his primal instincts kick in, Dante would bet and win anytime that he'd end up barking at the other cars like many normal dogs do. Her chuckles didn't stop even with the nasty glares she was getting from him. He had ruined her opportunity to dance with Zan, so now he had to pay for it somehow.

Akiko drove into the underground garage, ignoring Dante's and Sesshoumaru's little glaring battle. She had made it clear earlier that if they woke up the baby with their bickering she'd drop them out. Pulling into her parking space, she sighed, glad that they had arrived safely. "Dante, come in. The security guard must be close." Dante complied and Akiko looked at Sesshoumaru who had his head turned back looking at the baby sleeping on his safety seat. "Are you going to kill him?" She finally dared to ask, stern eyes on him.

Sesshoumaru didn't move his head to look at her. "If that was my intention, I would have done it long ago Akiko." He then moved is torso to lean back on the seat again. "What comes next after that hell ride?"

_-I think __you can trust him with our 'pup' for now Akiko. _Akiko couldn't keep from smiling at that comment from Dante. "I drove slower than I usually do." She pulled out the key and opened the door. She noticed him follow suit. –_Learns quickly. Probably this won't be that difficult after all for the all mighty brat._

Akiko saw him walk around the red SUV to come to her side. "Carry this please." She said, holding out to him the baby bag. Seeing the protest in his eyes she said, "I can't have Dante do it because it is not normal to see a feetless spirit floating around. It is strange enough that I arrive home with a white haired man with markings on his face, dressed in kimono and carrying two swords." She undid the belts from Kenmaru's seat and brought him close, -his little head resting on her shoulder. After closing the door and starting the car's alarm, she walked away from the car. "Follow me." She said in a low voice as she walked towards the elevators.

There were three elevators there, and one of them was exclusive for the penthouse. Akiko punched in the password numbers to open the elevator, and the doors opened. She felt her inuyoukai companion step back at this, and she smiled back at him. "It is alright. This will be the last hell ride for tonight."

Sesshoumaru gave her a questioning look. "Is it necessary?"

"Don't chicken out on me now great lord of the western lands." Akiko chuckled, feeling in a lighter mood now, and reached out for his hand pulling him in with her. She pressed the up arrow button and the elevator began moving. She couldn't help from giggling at Sesshoumaru who stepped back, leaning against the metal wall and looking down at his feet not understanding why or how they were moving. He had dropped the bag too. "You've soared through the skies on a three headed beast, but you're scared of an elevator my lord?"

"Who's scared?" He growled, suddenly annoyed at her amused look.

"Of course not you my lord." Akiko smiled at him and nodded her head towards the glass panels which allowed them to see the city outside. "Welcome to my time Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru stepped away from the wall, feeling that the thing they were riding on was quite stable and stared at the city, with small lights and many strange looking formations rising up. This was her world, one very different from his. "It is ugly." He said simply, expecting Akiko to snap at him for the offense but he wasn't about to lie now. Instead he heard her chuckle.

"I must agree with you just this once." Akiko smiled at him. The elevator came to a halt, and the doors opened leading out into the penthouse's small, inner garden. There were transparent, glass panels over it as roof. "Don't forget the bag please." She asked as she stepped out, and walked through the flowered corridor.

Sesshoumaru looked up to the transparent roof noticing that the sky was still dark. Then he looked down and could only guess that the light was coming from the flowers. This was indeed a strange place. He caught up with her, and met again with a pair of transparent, automatic doors as well, following her inside once they opened and squinting his eyes to get used at the sudden light. He had thought that the devices in Inuyasha's wench's house were strange, but Akiko's was proving to be even stranger.

Akiko took the bag from him, and then spoke up. "Dante, show Sesshoumaru-sama around, and tell him what not to do." She ignored the offended look on his eyes, and turned around. "I'll lay this log in his crib."

Dante floated out from her back and grinned at him. "So…what do you think of this place so far? Scary?" Sesshoumaru snorted, and walked past her following Akiko. "Hey! Don't ignore me!" She stared after him, and sighed. "I guess the last thing he needs right now is a tour around the place." She decided to go watch TV in the living room until they came out again. "I hope they take some nice shots from Zan, my darling."

Sesshoumaru stood under the door frame, watching Akiko place their pup carefully into the strange looking basket. Everything seemed eerie to him, except for that scene. He had wanted to see them for the longest time, although he had convinced himself that such thing would never happen. He stepped closer to them, noticing that Akiko seemed more calm now and less defensive than earlier. "What is his name?" He asked, keeping his tone low.

Akiko looked up to him, not surprised for his presence. She hadn't seen him come in but the marks on her back tingled each time he was close. She caressed the baby's face, making aside a lock of hair over his forehead. "Kenmaru." She answered softly with love caressing the name of her child. "Higurashi Kenmaru." A low grunt was the reply she received, but she wasn't expecting more. "Can I leave you here with him for a moment?"

"I'm not ripping his head off, if that is what your question implies." Sesshoumaru looked at her sternly.

Akiko blinked her eyes and shook her head. "Didn't cross my mind right now," She smiled, taking the comment lightly. "But I'll beg you not to." She leaned over and kissed Kenmaru's forehead, and stepped away from the crib. Before leaving the room she looked back at him. He had moved closer to the crib and she could swear his gaze had softened while set on the sleeping form in the crib. _Maybe, this isn't a bad dream after all, _she thought.

When she returned, -she had combed down her hair, washed her face and changed into a long, dark blue gown with a matching robe, she found Sesshoumaru crouching next to the crib and still staring at the sleeping hanyou. "Sesshoumaru-sama." She called softly trying not to wake the baby although that seemed an impossible task.

Sesshoumaru looked up to her, and stood up. "He sleeps a lot." He commented, trying to ignore the way the way she looked had sparked his interest. He had not cared for what she had been wearing earlier. In fact he still wanted to rip Inuyasha's head off for staring at her too long or that other male who had dared touch her, but now was not the moment to act upon this.

Akiko smiled, wrapping her arms around her. "I fear he got that from me." She turned around, and headed out. "Please come with me. He won't wake up until morning."

Sesshoumaru gave a last look at the little hannyou, and then followed her gladly. He walked behind her through the short, dark corridor, noticing the way the soft looking robes hugged her thin form. They reached the living room where Dante sat staring at the box like device that showed people at tables and one speaking to them.

"Zan looks so yummy!" Dante exclaimed looking at Akiko sit next to her on the beige leather couch. Then she glared at Sesshoumaru. "And you ruined my opportunity to dance with him!"

"You don't have a body for that." Sesshoumaru pointed out, looking bored at the spirit.

"I have it right next to me." Dante looked at Akiko who only sighed. Sighing herself, she turned off the TV and floated away. "I'll sleep with Kenmaru tonight."

Akiko waited for Dante to disappear to speak. "It has been two years since the last time we met." Pain masked her face as she mentioned it. "How long has it been for you?"

"Fifty years." He said plainly, still standing away from the couch.

Akiko held her hands together between her knees as she stared at the marble table in front of her. "You didn't kill me because you didn't want to, or because I was pregnant?"

Sesshoumaru's left eyebrow arched showing interest on her question. He thought that his reasons had been obvious, but it seemed that to humans it was difficult to grasp. "You are my mate." He said in a proud tone. "And you were carrying my pup in your womb."

"A hanyou." She stood up and stepped closer to him. "You've always thought of half breeds as lower beings. I never feared my child would have to stand your rejection because there was no way you two would meet. I made sure of that by sealing the well. But now, I can't take that idea out of my mind and it is killing me just to think that-"

The youkai lord reached out for her face, and at the contact she stopped babbling. "I know what you're thinking, so let me make this clear so we don't have to go through this discussion again." His voice was stern but his eyes seemed to caress hers with their stare. "If I didn't want a half breed pup, I wouldn't have mated with you in first place. That pup is the seal to our bond which is exactly what I wanted when I marked you as mine, knowing that any offspring coming from our mating would be a hannyou." There was no discriminating tone on his voice each time he said the word hannyou. "I chose you and chose to have half breed descendants."

Akiko sighed and looked down. "But you could have taken any female youkai you wanted as mate, have full breed descendants, and watch them grow. Have a family I guess."

"I don't remember speaking a different language than you Akiko." He said seriously, bringing her chin up so he could stare at her face. "I chose you because I wanted no body else; never did." Before Akiko would blurt out some other excuse he leaned over and caressed her lips with his, a small smirk twitching at the corner of his lips when he felt her gasp and become nervous. "Why so nervous?" He purred against her lips, holding firmly her chin in case she'd try to escape from him again.

"I-ah…" Akiko muttered, her eyes set on his, feeling like a trapped animal. In his eyes she could recognize longing and desire, which made her even more nervous. She wasn't anymore the old Akiko who was capable of pretending that she had no wish to be with him. She no longer had that hate in her heart for him that allowed her to be firm or indifferent towards him.

Sesshoumaru tugged on the robe's ribbon undoing it, and slid his hand to her back, finding with his claws the top of the gown. Using his forefinger's claw he cut the thin silk along her spine until it reached the small of her back. She gasped and he felt some satisfaction at the small sound, as he caressed the three claw scars on that spot of her body.

"What have you done to me?" Akiko whispered, more like purred against his chest, closing her fists on his robes. She had never felt that way before, -like if her senses had enhanced somehow, specially on her skin. When she had accepted Dante as part of her body her senses had been overwhelmed as well, but it was painful then. Now she could only describe it like walking on clouds and burning coals.

The silver haired demon grinned, feeling her heaving chest against his. "You'll find out soon enough." He muttered as he leaned over and nuzzled at her neck, breathing in her scent.

_She'll keep her word._ He thought as he reached out to rip off the annoying garments off her body. He took in the sight of her naked body, her skin looking creamier with the help of the yellow light above them. _She'll find a way to return us to the past, so I might as well take this opportunity to enjoy my mate and my pup. And maybe… _He had a small grin on his lips as he bent over to cover hers with his own.

* * *

Author's Note: LOL...Poor Sesshie.. I can't believe I made him so OOC, but I am not changing a thing, other than fixing a few mistakes here and there. Like I've said before...this fic is really REALLY old...so please forgive this OOC Sesshie.

Chapter 3 coming soon. :)


End file.
